Vacuum cleaner housing structure

ABSTRACT

A housing structure for use in a vacuum cleaner having a belt driving a rotary brush from a motor drive, including a door providing selective access to the belt for facilitated servicing thereof. The door, in the illustrated embodiment, is pivotally connected to the vacuum cleaner nozzle. A belt guide is pivotally mounted to the nozzle for protecting the door and maintaining the belt in force transfer relationship with the motor and brush pulley portions.

United States Patent Johnson et al. [45] Nov. 4, 1975 VACUUM CLEANERHOUSING 2,482,166 9/1949 Gage 15/389 x STRUCTURE 2,517,670 8/1950Humphrey 15/337 X 2,584,495 2/1952 Osborn 15/391 X [75] Inventors:Milton J. Johnson, Rosemount; Paul M. Clark, St. Paul, both of M1nnPrimary Examiner Harvey C HOmsby [73] Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation,Benton Assistant Examiner-Christopher K. Moore Harbor, Mich. Attorney,Agent, or Firm-Hofgren, Wegner, Allen, 22 Filed: Jan. 16, 1974 Stenma &Mccord 21 Appl. No.: 433,919 [57] ABSTRACT A housing structure for usein a vacuum cleaner hav- [52] US. CLz 15/377; 15/325, 15/391 ing a beltdriving a rotary brush from a motor drive, [51] lift. Cl. A47L 9/04including a door providing Selective access to the belt [58] Field ofSearch 15/325 for facilitated servicing thereof. The door, in the illus-15/337 trated embodiment, is pivotally connected to the vacuum cleanernozzle. A belt guide is pivotally mounted [56] References cued to thenozzle for protecting the door and maintaining UNITED STATES PATENTS thebelt in force transfer relationship with the motor 1,449,003 3/1923Hoover 15/389 x and brush pulley portions.

1,995,630 3/1935 Bass 2,079,293 5/1937 Kirby 15/389 x 14 Claims, 3Dl'awmg Flgures VACUUM CLEANER HOUSING STRUCTURE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to vacuumcleaners, and in particular to means for providing facilitated access tothe belt drive of a vacuum cleaner.

2. Description of the Prior Art In one conventional form of vacuumcleaner, a rotary brush is provided within the nozzle housing means forloosening dirt in the floor material being cleaned for facilitatedsuction of the dirt into the dirt-collecting receptacle of the vacuumcleaner. Conventionally, such brushes are driven from an electric motorwithin the nozzle by means of a pulley and belt drive.

A problem has been found in the conventional vacuum cleanerconstructions in that it is difficult and time consuming to service thebelt drive. Wear or breakage of the belt may require replacement of thefan belt from time to time. In the conventional vacuum cleanerconstructions, the nozzle structure must be at least partiallydisassembled to provide access to the brush belt. In a number ofconventional forms of such vacuum cleaners, such access requires notonly removing the entire baseplate structure of the nozzle but alsoother securing elements.

Further, servicing of such brush belts has been difficult in that,notwithstanding the removal of a covered portion of the nozzle, onlylimited access is provided to the belt drive structure, making itdifficult to remove and replace the belt notwithstanding the provisionof the limited access thereto. Conventionally, access is had to thebrush belt space in a direction perpendicular to the axes of the pulleyswith only limited clearance being available to remove the belt from thepulleys firstly parallel to the axes thereof and then permit withdrawalof the removed belt from the nozzle in a direction perpendicular to theaxes.

A number of structures have been developed to provide accessibility tothe belt drives in vacuum cleaner constructions. Illustratively, in U.S.Pat. No. 1,829,582 of Jesse F. Carson, a vacuum cleaner is shown havinga belt drive disposed outwardly of the vacuum cleaner main housing whichis selectively covered by an auxiliary housing which may be secured tothe main housing by suitable screws. Floor wheels are provided onsuitable supports outboard of the cover. Screw means are provided foradjusting the clearance between the nozzle and the subjacent floor,which screw means overlie the belt cover.

In U.S. Pat. No. 2,657,417 of Frank S. Howard, the baseplate of thevacuum cleaner nozzle must be removed to provide access to the beltdrive. The brush must be removed to permit placement of the belt aroundthe midportion thereof, requiring removal of the bearings from thebearing mounting means subsequent to the removal of the bottom plate ofthe nozzle.

In Joseph F. Kravos et a]. U.S. Pat. No. 3,368,231, a portable electricclothes cleaner is shown having an auxiliary cover similar to that ofthe Carson patent structure for enclosing a brush belt exteriorly of themain housing. The auxiliary cover is secured to the main housing bysuitable screws in a manner similar to securing the cover to the mainhousing in the Carson patent structure. In each of the Carson and Kravoset al structures, the belt is free to engage the auxiliary cover bymovement outwardly from the pulley means and SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention comprehends a vacuum cleaner construction havingan improved means for enclosing the brush belt, permitting facilitatedservicing of the belt when required. The belt enclosing means may beselectively opened without the need for conventional tools, such asscrewdrivers and the like, while yet normally effectively encloses thebelt drive space within the main housing nozzle of the vacuum cleaner.

The invention further comprehends providing means for guiding the beltinto maintained association with the motor and brush pulley means in thenormal operation of the vacuum cleaner. In the illustrated embodiment,the belt guiding means comprises a metal element which further protectsthe portion of the housing covering the access providing opening to thebelt drive space.

In the illustrated embodiment, the access opening is selectively closedby a door which may be pivotally mounted to the housing to define a sidewall of the housing, with the belt drive being disposed within the mainhousing.

The access door may be biased to an open position by suitable biasingmeans which, in the illustrated embodiment, comprises a portion of theprotective bumper means of the nozzle. The door may be locked in theclosed position across the access opening against the biasing action ofthe biasing means by a lock means permitting facilitated manipulationthereof to release the door when desired without the need forconventional tools, such as screwdrivers and the like.

More specifically, the invention comprehends providing in a vacuumcleaner having a rotary brush, a motor, and a belt for driving the brushfrom the motor, nozzle housing structure including wall means enclosingthe brush, motor, and belt and defining an access opening providingaccess to the belt for removal and installation thereof. A door ishingedly connected to the wall means for selectively closing andexposing the access opening of the nozzle.

The housing structure of the present invention is extremely simple andeconomical of construction while yet providing the highly desirablefeatures discussed above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Other features and advantages of theinvention will be apparent from the following description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a vacuum cleaner having ahousing structure embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged bottom plan view thereof with a portionbroken away to facilitated illustration of the inventive structure; and

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken substantially along the line 3-3 ofFIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the exemplary embodiment ofthe invention as disclosed in the drawing, a vacuum cleaner generallydesignated 10 is shown to comprise a wheeled nozzle housing 11 providedwith a suction tube 12 for conducting 3 dirt-laden air picked up by thenozzle to a dirt-collecting receptacle (not shown). The nozzle isprovided with a metal bottom plate 13 which is removably secured to theupper portion of the nozzle by suitable means, such as screws 14. Bottomplate 13 defines an opening 15 exposing a conventional rotary brush 16for loosening dirt on the floor material being cleaned..The brush isrotatably journalled in suitable bearings 17 carried by the nozzle andincludes a shaft 18 provided with a pulley 19. Pulley 19 is rotatablydriven by a belt 20 which, in turn, is driven by a pulley portion 21 ofthe output shaft 22 of an electric motor 23 which is suitably energizedthrough a power cord 24 brought out through the rear wall 25 of thenozzle. Shaft 22 extends above the wheeled truck 26 at the lefthand sideof the nozzle which, in turn, extends downwardly through a cutoutportion 27 in the bottom plate 13. Thus, as best seen in 1 FIG. I,nozzle 11 and bottom plate 13 cooperatively define an access opening 28at the left side of the nozzle for providing access to the belt 20 whendesired.

Access opening 28 is selectively closed by a door 29 pivotally connectedto the housing 11 by a pivot mounting means 30 at the front lefthandcorner portion 31 of the nozzle. Door 29 is biased to an open position,as shown in FIG. 2, by a bumper strip 32 extending across the front wall33 of the nozzle, along righthand side 34, and about door 29. The bumperstrip may be formed of asuitable resilient material such as a syntheticresin.

Door 29 may be retained in a closed position across access opening 28 bymeans ofa rotatable lock element 35 carried on the distal end 36 of thedoor and a catch member 37 mounted to the nozzle 11 at the left rearcorner portion 38. Lock element 35 includes an exposed slotted head 39which may be selectively rotated between locking and released positionsby readily available means, such as a coin, eliminating the need for theuse of a conventional hand tool, such as a screwdriver, in providingaccess to the belt 20 when desired.

The door includes a flange portion 40 which under lies the motor pulleyportion 21 and the portion of the belt adjacent thereto to cooperatewith the bottom plate 13 in closing the bottom of the access opening 28.In the illustrated embodiment, the locking element 35 is carried by theflange portion 40.

Inward movement of the door to the closed position is limited byabutment of a stop shoulder 41 on the distal end 36 of the door 29abutting the mounting support 42 of the catch member 37. As shown inFIG. 1, bumper strip 32 may be provided with an attaching portion 43received in a suitable slot 44 in door 29 for use in securing the bumperstrip to the door.

The invention further comprehends providing a belt guide 45 acrossaccess opening 28. Guide 45 is removably disposed across the opening formaintaining the belt 20 against movement outwardly from the pulley means19 and 21 in a direction parallel to the axes of the pulleys. Asillustrated in FIG. 2, belt guide 45 includes a connector portion 46pivotally mounted to the nozzle by a pivot 47, permitting the belt guideto be swung outwardly from access opening 28 when access to the belt 20is desired.

Belt guide 45 includes a turned distal end 48 adapted for fingertipmanipulation in swinging the guide. The guide may comprise an elongatedmetal element which further serves as means for protecting the door 29from abrasion and damage which otherwise could result 4 from breakage ofthe belt during operation of the vacuum cleaner.

As shown in FIG. 2, the belt guide may include a recessed portion 49 forreceiving attaching portion 43 of bumper strip 32 in the closedpositions of the belt guide and door. A stop shoulder 50 is provided ona mounting plate 51 secured to the nozzle 11 outwardly of belt 20 forlimiting the inward movement of the belt guide toward the belt. The beltguide may include an upstanding tab 52 which is selectively receivedbehind a downturned peripheral flange 53 of the nozzle when the beltguide abuts the stop shoulder 50. The pivotal mounting of the belt guideto the nozzle is sufficiently flexible to permit tab '52 to be movedvertically to below the nozzle flange 53 in moving the belt guide to andfrom the closed position of FIG. 1.

The vacuum cleaner structure may further be provided with mechanismgenerally designated 54 for adjusting the nozzle height to adapt thenozzle for use with different pile height carpeting. Adjusting mechanism54 includes a foot pedal 55 exposed rearwardly of rear wall 25 of thenozzle and a connecting link 56 extending through a slot 57 in rear wall25. Mechanism 54 includes an indicator portion 58 exposed throughopening 60 in housing 11.

In the illustrated embodiment, pivot 47 is carried by the mounting plate51 which, in turn, is secured to the nozzle by suitable fastening means,such as screw 59, as illustrated in FIG. 2. Thus, the belt guide isfirmly, yet movably, mounted to the nozzle to provide the desirablebelt-guiding and door-protecting functioning discussed above.

The foregoing disclosure of specific embodiments is illustrative of thebroad inventive concepts comprehended by the invention.

Having described the invention, the embodiments of the invention inwhich an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined asfollows:

I. In a vacuum cleaner having a rotary brush, a motor, and a belt fordriving the brush from the motor, housing structure comprising: wallmeans enclosing said brush, motor, and belt including a removable bottomplate for providing selective access to said brush and motor, said wallmeans defining an access opening providing access to said belt forremoval and installation thereof; and a door hingedly connected to saidwall means for selectively closing and exposing said access opening,said door providing selective access to said belt with said bottom plateretained in association with said wall means.

2.The vacuum cleaner housing structure of claim 1 wherein said accessopening is at one side of the housing.

3. In a vacuum cleaner having a rotary brush, a motor, and a belt fordriving the brush from the motor, housing structure comprising: wallmeans enclosing said brush, motor, and belt and defining an accessopening providing access to said belt for removal and installationthereof; and a door hingedly connected to said wall means forselectively closing and exposing said access opening, said motor andbrush being provided with belt pulley means rotatable about horizontalparallel axes, said opening providing access to said belt in alignmentwith said axes whereby said belt may be moved from and to said pulleysthrough said access opening in a-direction parallel to said axes forfacilitated removal and installation thereof.

4. The vacuum cleaner housing structure of claim I wherein means areprovided for biasing the door to an open position exposing said accessopening.

5. The vacuum cleaner housing structure of claim 1 wherein selectivelymanipulatable lock means are provided for selectively locking said doorin a closed position across said access opening.

6. In a vacuum cleaner having a rotary brush, a motor, and a belt fordriving the brush from the motor, housing structure comprising:

wall means enclosing said brush, motor, and belt and defining an accessopening providing access to said belt for removal and installationthereof, said motor and brush being provided with belt pulley meansrotatable about horizontal parallel axes, said opening providing accessto said belt in alignment with said axes whereby said belt may be movedfrom and to said pulleys through said access opening in a directionparallel to said axes for facilitated removal and installation thereof;

guide means removably disposed within said access opening formaintaining said belt against movement outwardly from the pulley meansin a direction parallel to said axes; and

a door hingedly connected to said wall means for selectively closing andexposing said access opening, said door overlying said belt guide meansin the closed position of the door across said access opening.

7. The vacuum cleaner structure of claim 6 wherein means are provided onsaid housing for movably mounting said guide means to permit selectivedisposition of the guide means substantially outwardly of said accessopening for permitting free access to said belt.

8. The vacuum cleaner housing structure of claim 6 wherein pivot meansare provided on said housing for pivotally mounting said guide means topermit selective pivotal disposition of the guide means substantiallyoutwardly of said access opening for permitting free access to saidbelt.

9. The vacuum cleaner housing structure of claim 6 wherein means areprovided on said housing for movably mounting said guide means to permitselective disposition of the guide means substantially outwardly of saidaccess opening for permitting free access to said belt, and means arefurther provided on said housing for selectively retaining said guidemeans in a belt guiding disposition outwardly adjacent said belt on saidpulley means.

10. In a vacuum cleaner having a rotary brush, a motor, and a belt fordriving the brush from the motor, housing structure comprising:

wall means enclosing said brush, motor, and belt and defining an accessopening providing access to said belt for removal and installationthereof;

a door formed of a synthetic resin hingedly connected to said wall meansfor selectively closing and exposing said access opening; and

guard means in said housing structure for preventing damage to said doorby said belt in the event of breakage of the belt.

11. The vacuum cleaner housing structure of claim 10 wherein said guardmeans comprises a metal element.

12. The vacuum cleaner housing structure of claim 10 wherein pivot meansare provided for mounting said guard means to said housing for selectivepositioning substantially outwardly of said access opening.

13. The vacuum cleaner housing structure of claim 10 wherein said guardmeans comprises an element pivotally mounted to said housing structure,and means are provided on said housing structure for limiting thepivotal movement of the guard means toward said belt to preventengagement of the guard means with the belt in the normal operation ofthe vacuum cleaner.

14. The vacuum cleaner housing structure of claim 10 wherein cooperatingmeans are provided on said guard means and housing structure forselectively preventing movement of said guard means outwardly from saidaccess opening.

UNEIRD STATES PA'lE-JNT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PATLNT NO. 13,916,476

DATED November 4, 1975 INVENIOWS) Milton J. Johnson and Paul M. Clark Itis cerhfied lhat e ror appears in The above-Identified patent and thatsmd Letters Patent are hereby uorrected as shown below Claim 7, line 30of column 5, after "cleaner" insert housing.

gigncd and Scaled this eleventh Of May 1976 [SEAL] A Nest.

1. In a vacuum cleaner having a rotary brush, a motor, and a belt fordriving the brush from the motor, housing structure comprising: wallmeans enclosing said brush, motor, and belt including a removable bottomplate for providing selective access to said brush and motor, said wallmeans defining an access opening providing access to said belt forremoval and installation thereof; and a door hingedly connected to saidwall means for selectively closing and exposing said access opening,said door providing selective access to said belt with said bottom plateretained in association with said wall means.
 2. The vacuum cleanerhousing structure of claim 1 wherein said access opening is at one sideof the housing.
 3. In a vacuum cleaner having a rotary brush, a motor,and a belt for driving the brush from the motor, housing structurecomprising: wall means enclosing said brush, motor, and belt anddefining an access opening providing access to said belt for removal andinstallation thereof; and a door hingedly connected to said wall meansfor selectively closing and exposing said access opening, said motor andbrush being provided with belt pulley means rotatable about horizontalparallel axes, said opening providing access to said belt in alignmentwith said axes whereby said belt may be moved from and to said pulleysthrough said access opening in a direction parallel to said axes forfacilitated removal and installation thereof.
 4. The vacuum cleanerhousing structure of claim 1 wherein means are provided for biasing thedoor to an open position exposing said access opening.
 5. The vacuumcleaner housing structure of claim 1 wherein selectively manipulatablelock means are provided for selectively locking said door in a closedposition across said access opening.
 6. In a vacuum cleaner having arotary brush, a motor, and a belt for driving the brush from the motor,housing structure comprising: wall means enclosing said brush, motor,and belt and defining an access opening providing access to said beltfor removal and installation thereof, said motor and brush beingprovided with belt pulley means rotatable about horizontal parallelaxes, said opening providing access to said belt in alignment with saidaxes whereby said belt may be moved from and to said pulleys throughsaid access opening in a direction parallel to said axes for facilitatedremoval and installation thereof; guide means removably disposed withinsaid access opening for maintaining said belt against movement outwardlyfrom the pulley means in a direction parallel to said axes; and a doorhingedly connected to said wall means for selectively closing andexposing said access opening, said door overlying said belt guide meansin the closed position of the door across said access opening.
 7. Thevacuum cleaner structure of claim 6 wherein means are provided on saidhousing for movably mounting said guide means to permit selectivedisposition of the guide means subStantially outwardly of said accessopening for permitting free access to said belt.
 8. The vacuum cleanerhousing structure of claim 6 wherein pivot means are provided on saidhousing for pivotally mounting said guide means to permit selectivepivotal disposition of the guide means substantially outwardly of saidaccess opening for permitting free access to said belt.
 9. The vacuumcleaner housing structure of claim 6 wherein means are provided on saidhousing for movably mounting said guide means to permit selectivedisposition of the guide means substantially outwardly of said accessopening for permitting free access to said belt, and means are furtherprovided on said housing for selectively retaining said guide means in abelt guiding disposition outwardly adjacent said belt on said pulleymeans.
 10. In a vacuum cleaner having a rotary brush, a motor, and abelt for driving the brush from the motor, housing structure comprising:wall means enclosing said brush, motor, and belt and defining an accessopening providing access to said belt for removal and installationthereof; a door formed of a synthetic resin hingedly connected to saidwall means for selectively closing and exposing said access opening; andguard means in said housing structure for preventing damage to said doorby said belt in the event of breakage of the belt.
 11. The vacuumcleaner housing structure of claim 10 wherein said guard means comprisesa metal element.
 12. The vacuum cleaner housing structure of claim 10wherein pivot means are provided for mounting said guard means to saidhousing for selective positioning substantially outwardly of said accessopening.
 13. The vacuum cleaner housing structure of claim 10 whereinsaid guard means comprises an element pivotally mounted to said housingstructure, and means are provided on said housing structure for limitingthe pivotal movement of the guard means toward said belt to preventengagement of the guard means with the belt in the normal operation ofthe vacuum cleaner.
 14. The vacuum cleaner housing structure of claim 10wherein cooperating means are provided on said guard means and housingstructure for selectively preventing movement of said guard meansoutwardly from said access opening.